‘Roma’ | Movie Review
βRomaβ is the βBoyhood,β βMoonlightβ or βGet Outβ of 2018. It is the most critically acclaimed movie of the year, with all the hype in the world surrounding it. Prior to watching it, I had relatively high expectations, but I mainly hoped it would not also be like those three films in that it would underwhelm me. Thatβs exactly what happened.
Set in Mexico City in the 1970s, this autobiographical Alfoson CuarΓ³n film chronicles a year of the life of a middle-class family. It centers on the familyβs servant, Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio).
Included in almost all the praise heaped on this movie is praise for Aparicioβs performance. I liked her in the role, but she is sometimes a bit hard to read and invest in. Especially early in the film, her stoic face can be something of a mystery. As the narrative progresses and sheβs asked to emote more, she is outstanding, but she doesnβt pulls off all the quieter moments.
As much as Aparicio gets kudos, CuarΓ³n gets just as many for his assured directing. Serving as his own cinematographer here, he uses his signature long takes to help put viewers in the moment. Additionally, he uses tracking shots to help give moviegoers a sense of the time and place this film takes place in, as they often show us Mexico City as the characters are traveling through it.
Iβm not sure why CuarΓ³n went with the black and white, however, because it did not seem to serve much of a purpose. It gave the film a sense of being a memory, but it also lent it a sense of austere, artful realism. Itβs certainly an artistic choice, but Iβm not sure what function it serves.
Even with those impressive technical aspects, I struggled with this movie because it was uneven to me. βRoma,β which CuarΓ³n also wrote, has moments of brilliance and heartbreak, but it also had a good number of scenes that didnβt work for me.
For example, the best sequence in the film, the birthing scene, is incredibly hard to watch and amazingly moving. But then there are scenes like the climax of the film, which was effective from a suspense standpoint, but the emotional payoff felt totally forced and disingenuous.
A significant portion of my problem with this comes from CuarΓ³n employing this neorealist style mixed with touches of lyrical poeticism. As is often the case in those types of films, I found this a bit detached and cold. It often seemed like CuarΓ³n was more of a dispassionate observer as opposed to a compassionate director.
So, I liked βRoma,β but I didnβt love it like most people seem to. I may give it another shot since so many filmgoers worship it, but I wonder if maybe itβs just not a movie for me. I give it three out of five stars.
βRomaβ is rated R for graphic nudity, some disturbing images and language. It stars Yalitza Aparicio. Marina de Tavira, Diego Cortina Autrey, Carlos Peralta and Marco Graf and runs 2 hours and 15 minutes.